September 1, 2012
IF YOU’RE JUST STARTING OUT, IN YOUR PRIME OR THINKING ABOUT RETIRING…READ ON!!!
If you’re lucky enough to have a retirement plan at work consider yourself fortunate! Especially if you have a defined benefit pension plan which is fully funded by your employer! While these retirement plans are not as popular as they once were, they are still out there & can provide for a safe and secure retirement. Government employees, TXDOT, Postal, Police, Fire and EMS employees, power, electric, phone, railroad & utility employees, ISD employees & many other larger institutions continue to offer these retirement plans. Social Security is an example of a defined benefit plan which provides a guaranteed income for life! While these can be really great plans they do come with some serious drawbacks.
Take Social Security for example, while you are guaranteed a certain amount of monthly income during your life, there are no retirement benefits for your family (your spouse can choose the higher of the two checks, but, loses one of the checks) OUCH! Your family is not totally left out though…they will receive a whopping $255 total! Now, if you live a long life, the Social Security Retirement system works well for you. It’s just not friendly to your family as the children do not receive any benefits at all unless they are under age 18 when you pass!
The same holds true for Pension Plans. They can be wonderful if you & your spouse live a long life, but, have some very serious and costly drawbacks if you don’t! Why, because just like Social Security these pension plans do not have or have very limited benefits for your family! When you retire as an employee with a pension plan in place you have some very important decisions to make… Take a full pension, a reduced pension, roll it over into an IRA, etc. The decision you make is very important as in most cases it is irrevocable. The most popular decision is for the retiree to take a reduced monthly pension to make sure their spouse will receive all or a portion of their pension income for life. Why, because that seems like the right thing to do…to take care of their spouse, right?
In some situations this may be the best decision, but, in most situations it is not!!! This can be a very costly decision which may never provide any benefits to your spouse and in most cases not any benefits to your children. This decision alone can cost your family hundreds of thousands of dollars in benefits. This is not a joke and is something you need to look at now, rather than later because there is a better way to handle this situation. A way that will guarantee you, your spouse & your children will receive the maximum benefits from your retirement plan. Some of the larger pension providers are TRS or ERS (School teachers & employees), TMRS (City, County, State & Federal employees), Electric, Hospital, Phone, Power, Railroad & Utility employers. Employees from these industries or any retirement plan participants are highly encouraged to contact Field Agents Doug or Jody Supak to discuss this all important matter. This is something that needs to be done sooner rather than later, as the sooner in life you review this, the more opportunities you’ll have to take action which will save you a lot of money.
Doug & Jody can be reached at (979) 968-5332 or email them at supakins@cmaaccess.com. This is way too important for you to delay so contact Doug or Jody today!
BLINN…UT…ATM…ST. ED’S…HARVARD???
SAY WHAT??? It just seemed like yesterday, the Good Lord blessed you with the miracle of life and here you are already discussing where that bundle of joy is going to college! If you’re a parent and haven’t experienced this yet just wait you will, and before you know it! The time will fly by and your child will grow faster than you could’ve imagined. These are precious years while you prepare, educate mold your child to become a moral, Christian,
functional adult, so they can go live the life the Lord has planned for them.
SAY WHAT??? The cost to send your child to college is frightening to say the least and unfortunately there seems to be no relief in sight. College costs have risen each year for the past decade and show no signs of slowing down or stopping. Today’s price tag is around $20K a yr for a public university & around $50K a yr. for a private institution. Can you imagine what the costs will be in 5, 10, 15, 20 years?
SAY WHAT??? It seems like a daunting task to prepare and send your child off to college. It can be emotionally and financially devastating if you’re not prepared. While you prepare your child for this stage of life, one must also use this time to prepare financially for what’s to come. Clearly it pays to start planning as soon as possible,
preferably at birth, so, time is on your side, not against you. Time and the magic of compound interest will help you make this daunting task much easier to manage when that time comes. Developing a consistent plan and sticking to it over an extended period of time is the secret to being successful.
ASK THE KNIGHTS TO HELP!!! Knights of Columbus members have a unique opportunity to set up education plans where the money is guaranteed to be available when the time comes for your children’s education. These plans are available exclusively to members and their families and are offered on a tax-deferred, tax-free basis.
Couple this advantage with these plans being excluded from financial aid computations and you can clearly see the Knights programs can help you make this seemingly unreachable goal much more attainable.
CALL ON YOUR FIELD AGENTS TO HELP!!! Contact your local Professional KofC Field Agents to assist so you will be prepared when that time comes. They have the knowledge and tools to assist you so give them a call or stop by their office today.
Doug and Jody Supak have extensive knowledge in education planning and can be reached at (979) 968-5332, at 130 S. College St. in La Grange or email them at supakins@cmaaccess.com
July 3, 2011
A.M. Best Reaffirms Knights of Columbus Rating of A++ (Superior)
Order’s Insurance Program earns highest ratings for 36th consecutive year
For the 36th Consecutive year, A.M. Best Company has given the Knights of Columbus its highest financial strength rating, A++ (Superior). A.M. Best is a worldwide rating and information agency, which conducts in-depth analyses and issues reports about the fiscal stability of insurance companies.
In its 2011 reaffirmation, A.M. Best cited the Knights of Columbus’ “strong fraternal and insurance presence within the Catholic communities in the U.S. & Canada, its superior risk-adjusted capitalization as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio and the Order’s consistently positive statutory operating
results.” The report also stated that “the Order has a strong affinity with its large membership base through its charitable works and competitive portfolio of life insurance and annuity products.”
Supreme Knight and C.E.O. Carl A. Anderson said that, “In the past 36 years, there have been five recessions. And in every single one of those years, the Order earned A.M. Best’s highest rating. This confirms our wisdom of our careful investment policies in turbulent economic times and again demonstrates our fidelity to our original mission: providing Catholic families with security and stability through top-quality life insurance products.” In just over a decade, the amount of Knights of Columbus insurance in force has doubled to more than $80 billion. It also just recently introduced disability income insurance to its product portfolio.
Are you looking for a place to invest your savings or would you like to establish or roll-over a tax- qualified retirement plan? Are you looking to establish an insurance portfolio for your entire family or set up an education plan for your children? Or maybe you’re looking to secure a burial policy or to protect your income and earning power through disability or life insurance? Perhaps, would like to protect your assets and create affordable choices for your not so “golden years?” If so, the Knights have the top rated products for you. In addition, they have 2 of the top financial professionals to assist you in the planning process. Your full-time Field Agents Doug and Jody Supak are members of the MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table) which is the premier association of financial professionals and is one of the highest honors a financial professional can receive.
This is a winning combination for you!
So, what are you waiting for, contact your Knights of Columbus Field Agents Doug & Jody Supak today! They can be reached at (979) 968-5332, 130 S. College St. or at supakins@cmaaccess.com
May 27, 2011
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS CLIMBS 29 SPOTSON FORTUNE’S LIST OF TOP COMPANIES
The Knights of Columbus has moved up 29 places in Fortune’s annual ranking of America’s 1000 largest companies this year according to the recently released Fortune list. Fortune’s 2011 list ranks the Knights of Columbus – a fraternal benefits society – at 900 in total revenues. It ranked 929 last year. The organization also rose 21 spots on the list of most profitable companies, moving to 725 this year, up from 746 in 2010 on Fortune’s list.
Last month, the Knights surpassed $80 billion of life insurance in force – twice the amount of insurance in force slightly more than a decade ago, when CEO Carl Anderson took the helm. The organization also has more than $17 billion in assets under management.
“There is no more highly rated North American insurer than the Knights of Columbus. We have every confidence in our continued success because we have a fundamentally solid business model, which continues to serve us well,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. “Despite the difficult economic conditions in the United States, the Knights of Columbus has maintained its strength, has enjoyed record years of growth and has improved its standing relative to the insurance industry as a whole. We foresee similar success going forward.”
The Knights of Columbus has enjoyed record growth during the last several years – despite the weakness of the overall economy – and is one of only five life insurers that holds the top rating from both A.M. Best (A++) and Standard and Poor’s (AAA).
The Knights of Columbus was established in 1882 as a fraternal benefit society, with one of its primary aims to enable members to protect their families with life insurance. Today the K of C has more than 1.8 million members and has expanded its product portfolio to include disability insurance, long term care insurance and guaranteed retirement saving annuities.
Members, the Knights of Columbus have done their part in offering the best products available to provide for you and your family regardless of what the good Lord has in store for you. It is up to you to enroll in them as these top of the line products are exclusively available to you and your family! There is a BIG difference between what the Knights of Columbus has to offer you and other insurers. Please doyourself a favor and compare by contacting your local Field Agents Doug or Jody Supak today! Contact them at (979) 968-5332 at supakins@cmaaccess.com or visit them at 130 S. College St. in La Grange.
April 27, 2011
What if your last paycheck…Was your last paycheck???
As I’m sure most of you know, the Order has what some would call a limited product line. We sell life insurance, retirement annuities & long term care insurance. It is not because we can’t or couldn’t sell a variety of other products & services, rather it is because we believe in being very good – not just good but very good – at what we do & no one who tries to be all things to all people can be very good at everything. You’ve heard the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none”? Not us. We’re the Masters at what we do.
So it isn’t very often we get to share the excitement of a brand new product with you, but, this is one of those times. Effective April 1, the Order will offer members & their spouses a disability income product, known as Income Armor. Fundamentally this product offers monthly payments to the insured to replace income lost when the insured is unable to work due to an accident or illness. It is a critical form of insurance that protects your paycheck. After reviewing the product for some time, we decided it fits our sweet spot & is clearly in keeping with our mission: insuring our members & their families against financial risk. Risk of death, yes…risk of inadequate retirement income, yes…risk of catastrophic costs associated with long term care, yes…and now, insurance against the loss of income that a disability would bring.
The first question you may ask yourself is “what are the odds of me becoming disabled & ever needing paycheck protection?” Here’s your answer: nearly one in four men can expect to suffer a disability that keeps them out of work for 90 days or longer at some point during their working years. For women, the odds are worse: one in three. And are you ready for this one? One in every seven works can expect to be disabled for five or more years before retirement. Troubling statistics. Basically, if you do not currently own paycheck protection in the form of disability insurance, and you have a job, you need it. Trust me.
So the question becomes where do you get it? We saw a need for our members to have a source where they can go to get the protection they need from a strong, stable, consistently steady financial institution. Where, once the purchase is made & premiums are paid, there is no need to worry about whether or not the company can back up their promises. Like everything we offer, you buy it, you pay your premiums & you leave the rest to us. That’s a pretty good deal in this day & age.
I encourage you to contact your Field Agent Doug or Jody Supak about protecting your paycheck with Income Armor. Doug or Jody can be reached at (979) 968-5332, at 130 S. College St. in La Grange or email them at supakins@cmaaccess.com Find out more about what the Knights are doing & offering at www.kofc.org
March 25, 2011
IRA DEADLINES, ANNUITIES, NEW INCOME REPLACEMENT & 10-PAY LIFE PLANS!
Each year April marks the deadline for us to complete our income taxes which also marks the deadline for us to take advantage of placing our money into one of the tax-deductible or tax-free IRA programs. Everyone’s situation is different so talk with your accountant to find out which IRA would benefit you the most…Traditional IRA or ROTH IRA & then contribute the maximum you can into one of these retirement programs before the April deadline! This will enable you to take advantage of tax-deferral and also of either deducting your contribution or having income that will be tax free when you retire!
Another savings option that can help you tax wise is by placing your savings into an annuity. The income earned will not be taxed until withdrawn in the future. This could help you by lowering your current taxable income. A KofC annuity offers guaranteed minimum interest rates of 3.00% or 3.50%! That’s right, your money is guaranteed & you’ll never earn less than 3.00% or 3.50% which is much higher than most other accounts are paying today! This is a wonderful place to put your safe money!
Coming April 1 you will have the opportunity to protect your income by acquiring the newest offering of the Knights…Income Armor! Most Americans, 71% to be exact live paycheck to paycheck! How long could you survive financially without an income??? Do you have enough in your savings or investments to make end meets? For those who don’t, Knights of Columbus Income Armor could be the means to financial survival! Call to find out more about this wonderful new product!
Another new offering by the Knights of Columbus will be unveiled on April 1 ! In keeping with their tradition of offering exceptional life insurance plans, the Knights of Columbus is now offering a 10-Pay Life Plan! This plan has guaranteed premiums for only 1o years. This means within a short period of time, you can own a paid-up policy & coverage will continue without the payment of any additional premiums. The policy also has the ability to grow cash values rapidly and will be eligible to earn dividends (dividends not guaranteed)! This is a Great Product to provide paid up insurance protection & to build significant tax advantaged money as well!
There is no better time than now to allow the Knights of Columbus to help with your savings, retirement, income or insurance needs! Call on your Professional Field Agents Doug or Jody Supak to answer any financial or insurance
questions you have and to assist in helping you save and protect your most important assets! Doug or Jody can be reached at (979) 968-5332, at supakins@cmaaccess.com or stop by their office at 130 S. College St. in La Grange!
News: 1/28/11
And then there were two.
Of the hundreds of insurance companies in North America, only
2 have maintained top ratings by A.M. Best and Standard &
Poor’s, as well as certification from the insurance Marketplace
Standards Association for ethical business practices…
…But only one gave $165 million to protect, promote and provide for the things
that are important to us as Catholic’s and to improve the communities in which
we live in!
Knights of Columbus Insurance
A BENEFIT OF BROTHERHOOD
Call your Field Agents Doug or Jody Supak at (979) 968-5332 to discuss these
products & services exclusively designed for you & your family:
Financial Needs Analysis (Free Financial Report)
Life Insurance (Member, Wife, Dependent Child or Grandchild)
Tax-Deferred Fixed Rate Annuities (Non or Tax-Qualified Savings, No Fees)
Long Term Care Insurance (Nursing Home, Assisted Living, Home Health)
Retirement Account Rollovers (401-k, 403-b, 457, IRA, Pension, etc.)
Estate Preservation (Minimize Tax Liability & Protect Assets)
Scholarships (Local, State & National Programs)
Family Fraternal Benefits (Acc. Death, Orphan & Spousal Benefits, etc.)
News: 12/1/10
As the Orders Insurance and Retirement Programs continue to grow, we are in need of additional Brother Knights as Field Agents. We currently have full-time positions available in various Central Texas areas.
A Field Agent for the Knights of Columbus is a great career opportunity. This career choice is ideal for an energetic, independent, motivated, and self-disciplined individual desiring to help and serve others. The benefits and training are beyond compare. We offer an unlimited income based on the amount of time and effort put into the job, excellent benefits such as a non-contributory pension plan. We also offer the opportunity to do good for others, while doing well for yourself and your family. All this while providing top-rated financial products to sell, service and deliver to our members and their families.
Some facts about the Knights of Columbus Insurance Program are:
- We rank in the top 5% of approximately 2,000 insurance companies throughout North America, based on total value assets.
- We annually receive the highest possible ratings from A.M. Best (A+++ Superior) and Standard and Poor’s (AAA Extremely Strong).
- We’re a member of the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA), reserved only for those insurance companies that conduct their business by the highest ethical standards.
Most importantly our insurance programs are operated by Brother Knights for the benefit of our Brother Knights and families.
Could this opportunity be for you or someone you know? If so, please contact me at thomas.supak@kofc.org or call my office at (979) 968-9800. I will be happy to visit with you and discuss the possibility of a career opportunity for you and the Knights of Columbus Insurance Program. I look forward to hearing from you!
Fraternally Yours,
Thomas R. Supak
General Agent
Knights of Columbus Insurance
P.O. Box 398
La Grange, Texas 78945
